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Lowther in bass reflex or Cain Abby

After looking at many of the speakers suggested in response to my previous post regarding suitable speakers for a low powered tube amp (Sophia baby 10wpc) and late night-low volume listening, I am still leaning toward the high efficiency full range driver camp.

I’m most interested in the Cain and Cain Abby and the bass reflex 1.3 model speakers from commomsenseaudio.com loaded with one of the Lowther drivers. The Cain speakers seem to be a well known and well regarded system. Does anyone have experience with the Lowther systems from common sense audio?

Price wise these are about the same, the lowest end Lowther being slightly less expensive, but it is close enough in price for that not to be a real consideration.

Anyone care to share some feeling/experience/biases regarding either of these tow (particularly the Lowthers)?

Thanks again!
kunja

Showing 4 responses by herman

herman
2,212 posts
 
Nice looking system Mr. Moebius, Terry Cain really does build a beautiful cabinet.

You speakers have to exhibit some of the back wave issues that were talked about. As the frequency decreases at some point you are getting a stronger wave from the port than from the front of the driver and this wave takes longer to get to you than than the front wave. There must also be something in the design to dampen the higher frequencies or you would be getting them twice. Once from the front and again a bit later from the back. Whether you are sensitive to this or not is another story, but it is there.
herman
2,212 posts
 
Check out the new Lowther Alerion. The smaller Lowther in a Cain cabinet. http://www.lowther-america.com/ I have heard them and they sound excellent, but you will need a sub.

While I agree that single drivers are not for everybody, the last word I would use to describe a Lowther system is cold. For whatever weakness' they have, and all speakers have them, I have never heard them described as lacking in emotion. In fact, this is the one attribute that almost everybody uses to describe them. If they sounded cold it was not the speaker.
herman
2,212 posts
 
I do agree about the problem of the backwave lagging behind the front, however this is solved with a design like this using a horn and no back chamber.

http://experiencemusic.net/Exhilaration.htm

I believe this one is no longer available but he is coming out with a new design using the smaller Lowther that should be interesting.
herman
2,212 posts
 
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/8nerve/8nerve.html

Take a look at this review. It is very verbose but if you take the time it pretty well describes the function of the Eighth Nerve products. They really do work.
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